


Possibly, Maybe

by sephirothflame



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Falling In Love in a Coffee Shop, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-09-08 05:18:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8831938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sephirothflame/pseuds/sephirothflame
Summary: After tying with Magnus in a local charity bake off, Alec never expected to hear from him again. Magnus apparantly has a different idea, because baked goods start showing up at Alec's shop just a few days later.





	

**Author's Note:**

> for tumblr user bendamneron for the Malec Secret Santa

The first box shows up three days after the charity bake off. It is shiny and golden and a dozen phallic cookies in all shapes and sizes line the inside. There’s a phone number taped to the lid and Alec is pretty sure he knows exactly who it belongs to.

“Wow,” Jace says. “The attention to detail is amazing. I never got the hang of royal icing.”

“The sprinkles are a nice touch,” Isabelle agrees. She reaches for the biggest, veiniest one and bites off the head. Moaning softly, she says, “oh my god, they’re almond shortbread. And the royal icing definitely has honey in it.”

“Really?” Jace sounds intrigued, though Alec is sure he’s hesitant to eat a dick.

Isabelle takes another bite of her cookie and makes another borderline inappropriate noise. “If you don’t want them, Alec, I will gladly eat them all.”

“Bane did technically beat us at the bake off,” Alec says. “It shouldn’t surprise you he knows how to bake.”

“He tied us,” Jace corrects. “A tie is not beating us.”

Alec shrugs his shoulders, but doesn’t argue it. He picks up a golden cookie with a detailed foreskin and stares at it. He’s not sure if Magnus is coming onto him or taunting him, but he figures it would be rude to let the cookies go to waste.

It is every bit as delicious as Isabelle made it out to be.

-

Alec doesn’t call, though he thinks about it all night and all weekend.

-

Will takes pity on Alec and lets him into  _ Cardale’s Coffee _ even though the shop isn’t set to open for another ten minutes. The snow is starting to build up, seemingly out of nowhere, but Alec has waited in far worse weather to get far worse coffee. He tries to keep it local when he can. It only seems fair since he’s struggling to make ends meet in his own hometown bakery.

The lights stay off in the front of the shop, though the machines start to hum to life as Will flips switches down the line and finishes filling up the small pastry display. They’re all homemade with love, from Sophie’s  _ Sweetie Pies _ and Alec stares at them a little resentfully.

“The regular?” Will asks.

Alec nods. He clears his throat and asks, “how well do you know Magnus Bane?”

“He kissed me at a party once to make his ex jealous,” Will says. He looks at Alec with amusement, briefly, before turning his attention to the espresso machine. “We go back. He’s a decent guy. Makes the best  pâte à choux I’ve ever had. Profiteroles, eclairs, beignets, you name it.”

“I tried his eclairs at the bake off,” Alec says. “I’m surprised he didn’t win.”

Will finishes making the Americano and snaps the lid on the togo cup. “You clearly didn’t make it in time to taste any of Sophie’s scones,” Will says, amused. He hands the cup over and asks, “What did he do to you?”

Alec’s fingers tighten around the cup. “Nothing,” he lies. “I was just curious.”

Will looks at Alec like he doesn’t quite believe him, but doesn’t push. “It’s on the house,” he says, nodding towards the coffee. “We both know you’ll be back before the end of the day, anyway.”

Despite himself, Alec smiles sheepishly.

-

There’s another golden box waiting for Alec when he gets back from his burger run and he has to balance his burger and drink in one hand as he reads the note taped to the lid. It has an address and a time written in an elegant scrawl followed by a simple question mark.

Alec’s throat goes dry and his stomach feels like it’s tying itself in knots. He crumples the note up in his pocket and drops into his desk chair hard to shove his face full before he has to get back in the shop to give Isabelle a break. He tries to avoid the box sitting in front of him, but even Alec can’t ignore the call of iced lemon bread forever.

He’s pretty sure he’s going to have to give in and go on a date with Magnus, or at the very least give him a call explaining why all of this is a terrible idea. He’s just not sure he’s ready to do either of those things.

It’s kind of nice to be pursued romantically, even if it is with baked goods and the knowledge he owns his own bakery. 

-

“You should go out with him,” Isabelle says casually. She’s watching him wash the last of the dishes of the day, but she doesn’t move to help  _ because she got her nails done this morning, Alec, you know this _ . 

Alec wishes he could pretend he didn’t know what she meant, but he knows it would be a useless venture. “You could ask him out if you’re so fascinated with him.”

“I’m not the one who got caught making out with him at the charity bake off after party,” Isabelle says with a wicked grin. “Don’t you think you’re sending him kind of mixed signals?”

“I’m eating his baked goods, even though I literally eat nothing but baked goods all day, every day,” Alec says. “What more could he possibly want from me?”

Isabelle holds her hand up in a loose fist and pushes her tongue against the inside of her cheek, pushing it out.

Alec throws a dish towel at her and glares. “I’m not that easy. I can’t be bought with dick shaped cookies.”

“Jace said the lemon bread looked like it had jizz drizzle,” Isabelle says. She sounds ecstatic and Alec hates her a little bit.

“And that is exactly why Jace isn’t allowed near any of the icing tips or the icing, because he makes everything sexual,” Alec snaps. His cheeks flush and he washes the dishes more aggressively than he needs to. “You can go home. I can finish up here.”

“But then I wouldn’t get to tease you, big brother,” Isabelle says sweetly.

-

There’s a box of conchas from  _ Pan de Molde _ sitting on the kitchen counter and Jace swears loudly. “How many people did you almost hook up with at the bake off, Alec, and why is that asshole Santiago sending you baked goods?”

Clary stifles a laugh behind her hand, but not before Alec can shoot her a dark look. “That was actually my fault,” she says. “Simon gave them to me at a discount because they’re three days old.”

“This is a house that bakes, Clary,” Jace says, though it doesn’t stop him from taking a concha and waving it at her. “We don’t need more baked goods coming through those doors unless they’re Little Debbies.”

“Jace has a thing for Zebra Cakes,” Alec explains when Clary just looks confused. He touches Jace’s back, nudging him gently, before getting stuff ready for spaghetti. “Are you staying for dinner?”

“Sure,” Clary says. She climbs onto a barstool and takes a concha. “I’m not good at being subtle, so I’m just going to ask: are you going to call Magnus or can he just expect you at  _ Cardale’s Coffee _ tomorrow for your date?”

“You have a date with Magnus?” Jace asks, sounding scandalized.

“How do  _ you _ know about that?” Alec asks. It’s hard not to sound panicked when his heart is pounding in his chest and he nearly drops the pots and pans. “And I don’t know, I haven’t decided yet.”

“Magnus and I go way back,” Clary says, shrugging her shoulders. “He was getting worried you’d changed your mind about being interested.”

“Alec is interested,” Jace says. He folds his arms over his chest and stares at Alec. “You’re going on that date. You know how I know that? Because it’s at  _ Cardale’s _ and you have coffee flowing in your veins instead of blood.”

Alec opens his mouth and closes it again. “I just don’t think it’s - maybe it’s not - I really don’t - “

“The fact you can’t come up with a single argument is proof enough,” Jace says. He looks at Clary. “Tell Magnus he’ll be there.”

“I don’t have anything to wear?” Alec tries quietly, but Jace just laughs at him and hollers for Isabelle.

-

Alec loads the dishwasher while Clary lounges on his bed and Isabelle goes through his closet. He knows he should yell at them both but he doesn’t have it in him. Really, the stress of of it all is making him want to crawl into a hole and die but he doesn’t think either of his siblings would let him get away with that.

“Your sister is a terrible influence on my girlfriend,” Jace comments idly as he puts the last of the leftovers in the fridge.

“She’s your sister, too,” Alec says. He turns on the dishwasher and leans against the counter. “I thought you liked the confidence Clary has been showing since Izzy introduced her into the wonderful world of hooker boots and adult toys?”

“They’re just going through your stuff like you’re not even here,” Jace says, frowning. “A few months ago, Clary was terrified of you and now she’s laying on your bed.”

“I am aware of the violation of my privacy,” Alec says.

“You have Izzy and me as siblings,” Jace says, crossing the small kitchen to clap his hand on Alec’s back. “Any privacy you thought you had was just an illusion.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Alec mutters darkly. He checks his watch and sighs. “They need to hurry up so I can go to bed. It’s my turn to open the shop  _ and  _ I have to go on a stupid date.”

“A fun date,” Jace says. “You could have fun. You could get coffee and fall in love. Like that song.  _ Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop. _ ”

“I am so not related to you,” Alec says with a heavy sigh.

Jace just laughs.

-

Alec gets to  _ Max’s Magnificent Creations _ at exactly four in the morning. It gives him time to turn on the lights and start the first batch of doughnuts and pastries. He doesn’t mind being at work this early in the morning. The city is quiet around him and there’s no traffic, though even  _ Cardale’s _ doesn’t open until six in the morning so Alec is left to use Jace’s Keurig for a quick fix until then.

It’s easy to get lost in the work, but Alec has been doing this for so long now. Doughnuts and pastries and muffins in the morning, fresh baked bread by ten and closed by four in the afternoon. They do good business, though they could certainly do better. It’s hard to run the shop with just three people most of the time. Alec wouldn’t change any of it.

Jace yawns loudly when he makes his way in fifteen minutes late, but he’s got two togo cups from  _ Cardale’s Coffee _ and it’s not like Alec would consider firing him even if he didn’t.

“Shoulda bought a sports bar,” Jace says as he pulls his apron off the rack and pulls it on. “Wouldn’t have to open until noon at the earliest, close by two in the morning…”

“Never have time to take your girlfriend on dates,” Alec replies. “Have to learn how to make bar food and mix drinks…”

“Mixing drinks sounds like a fun skill to have,” Jace says. “None of this premade in a bottle crap for twice the price.”

Alec shakes his head and takes a sip of his coffee. It’s still hot and exactly the way Alec likes it. The door chimes in the front of the shop and Alec sighs heavily. “Go work the counter, I’ll finish up in here.”

“Jerk,” Jace mutters, but he takes one last drag of his coffee before acquiescing.

-

Eleven o’clock comes quickly, but the day always moves fast when there are things to pull from the oven and decorate or customers to help. The last stretch to eleven thirty drags though, and Alec can’t stop looking at his reflection in the oven and trying to smooth his hair down and brush the flour off his jeans.

“I should have brought a change of clothes,” Alec says when Jace pokes his head back into the kitchen.

“You should move your ass with those French loaves,” Jace says. “You look fine. Don’t be such a girl.”

“I’ll telling Izzy you said that,” Alec huffs. “And Clary.” He does bring the fresh loaves out to go in the display, but it only takes three minutes and Alec is staring at his watch again in the kitchen. He walks back into the front of the shop. “Can I be half an hour early?”

“No, you freak,” Jace sighs. He itches his forehead with the back of his wrist and sighs harder. “Your fretting is going to drive me insane, Alec, I swear to god.”

“I’m not fretting,” Alec says. He stops playing with his watch and looks at Jace almost guiltily. “I feel sick. I should cancel. I’m going to cancel.”

Jace throws his hands up in the air. “Go! Just go! Go get a coffee and wait. Don’t put out on the first date!”

“Jace!” Alec says, cheeks flushing. “We’re not going to have sex in  _ Cardale’s _ of all places!”

“Don’t do it in the alley, either!” Jace reprimands. He shoves Alec’s back gently. “I can run the shop by myself until Izzy gets here. Get gone.”

Tugging his apron off and smoothing his hair down again, Alec looks at Jace anxiously. He opens his mouth to second guess this again, but Jace silences him with a glare. “Don’t burn the shop down. There’s more banana nut muffins in the kitchen, but we’re out of pistachio.”

“Go!” Jace snaps.

Alec does.

-

It’s a five minute walk to  _ Cardale’s _ from  _ Max’s _ on a good day, but when the wind is biting and there is slush on the ground, Alec can make it there in half that time. It’s the best part of having the shop on the street they do: there is always fresh, hot coffee around the corner. Alec lives for fresh, hot coffee.

“Hey, Jem,” Alec says when the doorbell chimes, signaling his arrival. “Usual, for here.”

“Alright,” Jem says. He doesn’t bat an eyelash or ask why Alec is hanging out in the middle of the work day, because he’s not nosy like other folk at  _ Cardale’s Coffee _ . He hums along with the music as he works on the Americano and Alec flops down in an armchair in the back corner.

Alec’s stomach doesn’t settle down, even after Jem delivers him the mug. The shop is quiet, just some middle aged women gossiping in front of the window and the low thrum of classic rock on the radio. He feels like he’s going to throw up.

Jem brings Alec another cup before Magnus shows up, and all the extra espresso is making his heart pump like mad in his chest and his fingers tap an irregular beat on the table.

Magnus just looks amused. “Am I late?”

“I’m bad at waiting,” Alec says. He gestures at the armchair in front of him vaguely. “They’re more comfortable than the tables.”

“Let me get something to drink and I’ll be right back,” Magnus says, smiling fondly. He touches Alec’s shoulder lightly before moving past him to go to the counter.

Alec knocks back the last of his coffee and slumps down into the armchair. This was a terrible idea.

-

Magnus, it turns out, likes frou frou coffee. There’s caramel and whip and chocolate shavings on the top and Alec looks at Magnus incredulously as he takes a sip.

“How do you look like you do when you drink  _ that _ ?” Alec asks.

“How do you look like you do when you eat baked goods all day?” Magnus counters.

“I run a lot,” Alec says. “And punch things. Jace and I went halfsies on one of those couple’s gym memberships.”

Magnus quirks an eyebrow, but looks amused. “Whatever works.”

Alec pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. “I’m sorry. I’m bad at dates. I haven’t been on a real one since…” He wants to say high school, but that was with Lydia to keep his parents happy, but then there was the guy with the goatee that Isabelle tried to set him up with. “It’s been a while.”

“You’re doing fine, darling,” Magnus says. “The coffee is probably just getting to your nerves.”

Taking a sip of his third cup, Alec hums. “There’s two extra espresso shots in each one. My heart is going to explode out of my chest at this rate.”

“Well, I promise to be devilishly handsome at your funeral,” Magnus says. “Maybe I’ll make some petit fours.”

“Don’t let Izzy hear you say that,” Alec says with a laugh. It helps, he thinks. He’s starting to feel more relaxed, even if he can’t stop drumming his fingers against the arm of his chair.

Magnus had this affect on Alec the night of the bake off, too. Even after putting his heart into it and losing, there was just something calming about being around Magnus. Though, they really shouldn’t have gotten as far as they did in the guest bathroom at Gideon and Sophie’s.

“I rather like having you all to myself,” Magnus says, “though I’m open to the idea of meeting your family in the future.”

Alec nearly chokes. “You’ve met Jace and Iz,” he says, setting his mug down carefully. “There’s no rush to meet my parents, believe me.”

“And your brother, Max? Your shop is named for him, is it not?” Magnus asks.

The air rushes out of Alec’s lungs, and he’s glad he set his mug down because he’s sure he would have dropped it otherwise. It never gets easier, no matter how many times someone asks. “That’s,” Alec starts, but he can’t find the words.

“Oh,” Magnus says. He looks stricken, almost ashamed for not realizing his mistake. “I’m sorry, Clary didn’t tell me - “

Alec doesn’t know what to do with his hands, so he digs his nails into his palms. He doesn’t trust himself to hold his cup right now, not without spilling it all over himself. “It’s fine, you didn’t know.”

Magnus reaches out and takes Alec’s hand in his own, squeezing gently. “It’s okay if you want to talk about it. It’s okay if you don’t.”

“I have to go,” Alec says, quietly. He rubs his hands over his face, and ignores Magnus’ sounds of objection. “I’m sorry, it’s not you, I swear.” He shoves a twenty dollar bill in Magnus’ outstretched hand  _ for Jem, please _ and he’s out the door before he even finishes pulling his coat on.

Alec is pretty sure there isn’t going to be a second date.

-

When he gets home, Alec texts Jace  _ I’m fine, not feeling well, going home to lay down _ and finishes off the too sweet moscato Clary had left after her and Jace’s last date night in the apartment.

_ Get some _ , Jace texts back, and Alec laughs bitterly as he pulls the blankets over his head and prays for death.

-

Alec is waking up from his unintended nap when Jace and Isabelle get home. He wants to pull the covers up over his head, but instead he rolls out of bed and makes his way to the living room to ask how the day went.

Jace narrows his eyes, scrutinizing Alec’s naked chest for signs of hickies, before nodding his head. “Okay, so, you guys didn’t hook up. Do I need to go murder him?”

“No,” Alec says. He sits on the couch and sighs heavily. “I think I had too much caffeine on top of already being anxious and I’m pretty sure I freaked out and scared him off.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t that bad,” Isabelle says, soothingly. She sits on the couch by Alec and pats his knee gently. “You’re very cute, even when you are being a freak.”

“He asked about the name of the shop and I ran away,” Alec says, defeated. He hides his face in his hands, and the silence in the room is deafening. “I’m a goddamn idiot.”

“You’re not,” Isabelle says softly, squeezing Alec’s knee. “Jace got shitfaced and cried into Clary’s bosom and she still kept him after that.”

Alec shakes his head, but there’s nothing for him to say. He’s ruined his chances with Magnus and he knows it. The least he can do is apologize.

-

_ Smart Tarts _ is long since closed by the time Alec finishes baking and boxing up his muffins, though it only takes a quick text to Clary to get the address he needs. He’s never texted her outside of a group chat discussing dinner and movie plans, though if she’s surprised, she doesn’t let it show.

He calls an Uber because it’s too cold to walk, and the driver side eyes the box in Alec’s lap almost the entire drive. Alec hands him a business card with a friends and family sticker, promises him a discount if he comes by the shop sometime this week, and then he’s out the door as soon as they roll up in front of Magnus’ building.

It’s probably the second biggest mistake Alec’s made in his life, but he presses the buzzer and asks Magnus to let him in anyways.

-

Magnus is wearing grumpy cat pajama bottoms and there’s no make up on his face, but he looks just as stunning as he always does. “Chairman Meow and I were just about to watch a  _ Bridezillas  _ marathon,” Magnus says, opening the door and letting Alec in.

“I’m sorry,” Alec says. He’d prepared a speech on his way over, but somehow he’s forgotten every single word. “For earlier. For this entire week. For the bake off. I’m sorry. I am so bad at being a person with emotions and I don’t always respond the way I should and I get defensive at the worst times or I do beyond inappropriate things with strange men in my cousin’s bathroom - “ 

“Shhh,” Magnus says. He taps one elegant finger to Alec’s lips to silence him, and waits until Alec relaxes to move it. “Hi, I’m Magnus, I own a bakery and live alone with my cat because I have a love affair with glitter and when I can’t sleep because of insomnia, I bake at three o’clock in the morning.”

Alec smiles softly and offers the box of muffins to Magnus as a lame offering. “I’m Alec, I too own a bakery, though I don’t have glitter and I live with my brother and sister.”

“This sounds like an excellent start,” Magnus says. He takes the box from Alec, and leads him to the couch slowly. “These smell amazing, by the way. What are they?”

“Caramel macchiato,” Alec says. “Izzy has been begging me to make them for weeks, and you seemed like the kind of guy to like it. All I know about you is that you like sweet things.”

“That’s why I like you,” Magnus says with a wink. He sits on the couch and pats the spot next to him, which Alec sits in eagerly. He kicks his feet up on the coffee table and grabs a muffin. “Can you stay for a while?”

“If you don’t mind,” Alec says. He grabs a muffin and leans back on the couch, shoulder to shoulder with Magnus. It’s surprisingly warm, despite the little contact between them. 

Magnus moans when he takes a bite of his muffin, and his head hits the back of the couch overdramatically. “Oh my god, these are amazing. I’m keeping you around for as long as possible.”

Alec flushes and relaxes into Magnus’ side. He takes a bite of his own muffin and thinks, yeah, he’d be okay with that.

-

“Look who is doing a walk of shame,” Isabelle says gleefully, in the morning. She’s awfully alert for someone who hates mornings and Alec’s cheeks flush.

“It’s not like that,” Alec says. His hair is still wet from his power shower and nothing Alec does to it will smooth it down. He gives up and pulls on his apron. “I feel asleep on his couch.”

“Right,” Isabelle says with a lascivious wink. 

“Okay, he made some cocktails,” Alec says. He wants to scowl, but he he can’t fight the dumb smile on his face. “We watched  _ Bridezillas _ and we might have made out a  _ little _ . But I fell asleep on the couch and he put a blanket on me and that’s it. I mean it.”

“So I don’t have to hide a body?” Jace asks.

Alec stops in his tracks and stares at the snow shovel in Jace’s hands. “Please tell me you were using that for the intended purpose.”

Jace winks, too, a bad habit he’d picked up from Isabelle. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Please just get back to work,” Alec groans. “I’m sorry I’m late, you can heckle me at home when there aren’t baked goods to sell.”

Jace claps Alec’s back and Isabelle’s laugh carries through the small shop. As much as they drive him crazy, Alec can’t imagine doing this with anyone else.

-

By lunchtime, a golden box filled with cherry turnovers shows up by the shop with a note taped to the lid. The only word is  _ Dinner? _

Alec’s heart flutters in his chest in a way he’s pretty sure isn’t healthy and he smiles.


End file.
